Now that Medium is rewarding external views in the Medium Partner Program, you may want to find out more about your content and how it ranks.
For this, let’s talk about the Google Search Console and how to hook it up to your Medium site.
If you’re using Medium with a custom domain like I do (stories.byburk.net), you’ve got a clean, professional URL that feels like home. That’s a great start.
If you want your stories to be more easily discoverable on Google and really track how your content performs in search, let me show you how to connect the Google Search Console to your Medium site step by step today.
Why Bother with Google Search Console?
Before we dive in, why even bother?
- Performance insights: See what keywords bring people to your stories. This is cool for finding new inspiration as well.
- Index coverage: Find out which of your pages are actually being indexed by Google.
- Search enhancements: Track structured data (like articles) and fix errors if they pop up.
- Backlink data: See which sites are linking to your Medium stories.
In short, it’s your Medium site’s relationship with Google.
Here’s how it works!
Step 1: Go to Google Search Console
Head over to Google Search Console. If you’re not signed in, log in with your Google account (the one you use for all your analytics/blog work).
Then go to the menu up left and add a property.
You’ll see two options for property setup:
- Domain property
- URL prefix property
Since you’re working with a custom domain on Medium, it can be both options:
- if you use a root domain, i.e., yourname.com use Domain property
- if you run on a subdomain like I do, i.e., stories.yourname.com, use URL prefix property
Then, enter your custom Medium domain name in the relevant field.
Click Continue.
Step 2: Get the DNS Verification Code
Google will now show you a TXT record you need to add to your DNS settings. It looks something like this:
google-site-verification=abc123xyz456random
This little snippet is how Google knows you’re the rightful owner of your domain.
Step 3: Add the TXT Record to Your Domain DNS
Here’s where most people panic, but it’s not that bad. You need access to your domain management tool.
- Log in to your domain registrar (wherever you bought your domain: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, Cloudflare, etc.).
- Find your DNS management settings.
- Add a new TXT record.
Usually, you’ll be asked for:
- Host/Name: You can often leave this blank or use @. Some registrars want you to type @.
For subdomains, enter the subdomain string (stories in my case) - Type: TXT.
- Value: Paste the verification string Google gave you.
Save the record.
Step 4: Confirm the Setup
Head back to Google Search Console and click Verify.
If DNS changes haven’t propagated yet, you might get an error. That’s normal. DNS updates can take anywhere from a few seconds to 48 hours (though usually it’s done within an hour).
Check back later if it doesn’t work right away.
Once verified, Google will start collecting data for your Medium site.
Great!
Step 5: Wait for Data
Here’s the catch: you won’t see data instantly.
It can take a couple of days for search impressions and clicks to appear. After about a week, you’ll start seeing which queries bring people to your content, how often you show up in search results, and where you rank.
You can help Google by sending over your domain sitemap. You do that in the Search Console under the menu left “Sitemaps”.
Your Medium sitemap will be at “yourname.com/sitemap/sitemap.xml”.
Add that, and Medium can index everything from the XML file.
Pro Tips for Medium Writers
Now that you’ve hooked up the Search Console, here are a few ways to use it to your advantage:
- Find new article ideas: Look at the queries where your site is showing impressions but not many clicks. That’s a sign you could write a better, more focused piece. Or if it has clicks already, write a similar story or a follow-up.
- Optimize existing stories: If a post is ranking on page 2 of Google, add more depth, keywords, or an updated headline to push it over the line. Can work well.
- Check for indexing issues: Make sure all your Medium stories under your custom domain are being indexed. If not, request indexing.
- Backlink growth: Keep track of external sites linking to you — it’s a free SEO audit baked into the tool.
The Bottom Line
Medium is great for writing and with the recent edition of payments for external views, it’s even better.
When you use a custom domain already, take even more control of your presence in search engines by adding your site to Google Search Console with DNS verification.
It’s a one-time setup that pays off in the long run, in my opinion.